Category: News

  • Return to Work FAQs: Corporate Office and Mikkelsen House – COVID-19 Guidelines & Protocols

    As we endeavour to keep our residents safe and healthy, we also do so for our employees working in our corporate departments. As corporate employees return to the office, below are frequently asked questions (FAQs) that are the guidelines and protocols that MUST be followed.

    Will my access card be activated when I return to the Corporate Office?

    For corporate employees who will be returning, your card will be activated in advance of your return date. Your parking pass, if applicable, will also be reactivated.

    How will I access the Corporate Office and Mikkelsen House?

    You will gain access to/from Corporate Office and Mikkelsen House by:

    1. (a) Through the parkade entrance (entry off 28 Street S.E.) Use the southwest door stairwell to enter
      (b) Through the front door (#100 by the Daycare entrance) using code 800415#
    2. Employees based at Mikkelsen House are to self screen if possible by taking your temperature at home prior to work or go to reception area to get your temperature taken

    IMPORTANT: Please ensure that you are wearing a mask from your car/public transit to your office or desk space.

    There is currently no access through the care centre.

    What is the screening process for entering the Corporate Office?

    If you are entering through the parkade entrance, please self-screen if possible by taking your temperature at home and record on the screening form when you get to work. Drop your completed form at the Reception desk daily.

    If this is not possible, please go to reception area to get your temperature taken. Screening will begin at 8:00 AM so unless you are self-screening with temp check you cannot enter the office before that time.

    If you are arriving outside of these hours or need to leave the office and return during business hours, get re-screened at front reception.

    What protocols are in place for working in the Corporate Office?

    While you are working in your own office/cubicle you will not need to wear a mask.

    Away from your office/cubicle you will be required to wear a mask and will need to social distance within the office.

    If someone is visiting your office/cubicle, you and that person both need to wear a mask and you will need to maintain social distancing.

    In meetings, you will need to wear a mask if social distancing cannot be maintained.

    As we are in a non-clinical setting, it is okay to reuse your mask if it is not soiled or has become contaminated.

    Note: Masks will be available if needed.

    You will need to ensure your desktop is cleared at the end of each day to facilitate cleaning by Aramark. This includes all papers and personal belongings.

    Where can I take my lunch?

    The Bistro seating area will be open at 50% capacity for corporate employees to bring their own meals. Care staff will be using the area near the Simmons Family Assembly Room for their lunch breaks. Employees will be responsible for disposing of their own leftovers and dishes.

    Lunchtime openings will be staggered for:

    HR, Executive Support and Communications at 12:00 – 12:30 PM, and

    DLT, Finance, IT and the Foundation at 12:45 – 1:15 PM

    Wipes will be available for you to use.

    Remember to wear your mask when finished eating and returning to your office/desk space.

    Employees should bring their own cups, dishes, glassware and cutlery to the workplace, and take home each evening.

    What is the capacity of the washrooms?

    Only 2 people are allowed in each washroom at any given time.

    What printer should I use in the Corporate Office?

    Please use the copier closest to you.

    Please use hand sanitizer before and after use at the multi printers and practice social distancing when waiting for the copier.

    Is there a receptionist at the main desk?

    Michelle Fulton and Marianne Smith will rotate weekly at front reception.

    How do I send mail/packages to the sites?

    Any mail or courier items can be left on the reception desk and Michelle/Marianne will arrange for it to go out.

    Bethany sites delivery schedule:

    • Monday – no mail distribution
    • Tuesday – Bethany Calgary/Bethany Cochrane
    • Wednesday – Bethany Calgary/Bethany Airdrie/Bethany Harvest Hills
    • Thursday – Bethany Calgary/Bethany Cochrane as well as Bethany Didsbury/Bethany CollegeSide/Bethany Sylvan Lake
    • Friday – Bethany Calgary/Bethany Airdrie/Bethany Harvest Hills

    All mail to other sites goes out by 9:30 AM and all courier items for same day delivery for Calgary area need to go out by 1:00 PM.

    How can I protect myself in the Corporate Office?

    Maintain masking protocols.

    Social Distancing – Continue to maintain physical distancing – that means keeping at least two metres/6 feet distance from others.

    Hand Hygiene – Continue to wash your hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or clean hands with hand sanitizer – particularly before and after eating.

    What if I’m feeling sick?

    If you have cold-like symptoms, you should do the following:

    • Call your medical provider or Health Link at 811
    • Stay home – avoid close contact with others
    • Practice hand hygiene (wash your hands often and thoroughly)
    • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands

    What if I’ve travelled or I’m planning to travel?

    Travelers outside of Canada are required to self-isolate for 14 days. If you’re planning to travel, even within Canada, please notify your Leader/Manager.  Please consult the destination page on travel.gc.ca for the latest travel advice.

    What if I’m unable or not ready to return to the Corporate Office?

    If you feel you are unable or not ready to return to the Corporate Office, please get in touch with your manager and notify Jillian Palbom, Acting Director, Human Resources.

    If I have any other questions, who can I ask?

    Any questions, please do not hesitate to speak to your direct manager.

  • Celebrating 75 Years of Care

    This year marks Bethany’s 75th Anniversary! We would like to publicly acknowledge this significant milestone and extend our heartfelt thanks to our residents who call Bethany home, and to our employees for all your hard work. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, large gatherings are not permitted under the current public health orders to ensure the safety of our residents. Instead, we celebrated in small ways at the care sites and Bethany housing, with festive “75” balloon column decorations, receiving a site-wide blessing by our spiritual care practitioners, and handing out individually wrapped cookies to our residents and employees.

    For 75 years, Bethany has been a voice for seniors in Alberta. As the senior population grows, so have we, responding to the needs of the communities we are in. Seniors can age in the community as their care needs change. What began in 1945 as the Lutheran-based Riley Estate  has grown into a much broader community of independent living, supportive living, long-term care, specialized dementia and community services. Inspired by our legacy of faith, love and a passion to serve, we continue to create caring communities for seniors and adults with disabilities.

    Join us in a celebration of our past, present and future and explore a timeline of our most important milestones. Visit BethanyBetterWithAge.com!

  • Safety Bulletin September 2020

    Regular physical activity has many mental health benefits. The longer you maintain your exercise schedule and the more often you exercise, the more benefits you’ll see. Research shows that regular physical activity can help:

    • Reduce day-to-day stress
    • Reduce the risk of cognitive decline, measured as a slowing in attention, memory, and concentration
    • Increase self-reported happiness and lower levels of depression and loneliness
    • Reduce feelings of fatigue, improve sleep quality, and lower your risk of insomnia
    • Boost self-esteem, itself a key sign of good mental health and overall well-being

    There is no single reason why physical activity has mental health benefits. Instead, research suggests that benefits come from the combined physiological, psychological, social, and neurological effects of exercise.

    • Physiological: Physical activity both boosts your body’s production of chemicals that help you to relax, feel more pleasure, and feel less pain, and reduces the amount of cortisol (i.e., “stress hormone”) that your body produces
    • Psychological: Regular physical activity helps to increase feelings of self-esteem. Short bursts of exercise can also make you happier in the moment by interrupting negative trains of thought
    • Social: People who exercise regularly tend to have bigger social networks and stronger relationships with friends and family. The regular face-to-face interaction that comes from group exercise (e.g., fitness classes, team sports) boosts your mood and can help to prevent depression
    • Neurological: Physical activity helps your brain to use and produce more dopamine and serotonin – chemicals produced in your brain that make you feel happy. People who exercise regularly also have more blood flow to the brain, and better brain functioning

    For strategies to start an exercise routine and to stay motivated, please check out the tips below.

    HOW TO GET STARTED AND STAY MOTIVATED

    Before you get started, ask yourself why you want to exercise, and what types of exercise might be best for you based on your physical (dis)abilities, personality, and goals.

    Consult your family physician for help in developing a healthy and realistic exercise plan.

    • Schedule exercise in your day when you tend to have more energy
    • Find free or low-cost activities that you enjoy (e.g., walking, cycling, or pick-up sports)
    • Don’t push yourself too hard and strive to find an environment where you feel comfortable and motivated

    Once you’ve started your exercise program, there are many ways to help you stick with it.

    Excerpts taken from the “Psychology Works” Fact Sheet: Physical Activity, Mental Health and Motivation by the Canadian Psychological Association.

    For more information, please contact:

    Lesley MacKinnon
    Manager, Safety
    Lesley.Mackinnon@BethanySeniors.com

    Or

    Site OHS Committee Chair or RepresentativeLifeWorks supports employee health and well-being.

    Bethany employees have access to a wide range of resources such as:

    • LifeWorks Blog
    • Webinars and Events
    • 24/7 Specialist Counselling

    Link:
    Bethanycaresociety.lifeworks.com
    username: bcs
    Password: eap
    Phone: 1-877-207-8833
    Phone App: LifeWorks WorkAngel

     

    Other helpful links:

    Alberta Health Services COVID19

    Public Health Agency of Canada

  • Update Newsletter — July/August 2020 Issue

    Stay up-to-date on Bethany’s progress with our Update newsletter!

    From our Blessing of the Hands ceremonies to our feature on Recreation Therapy, you’ll find it here in Bethany’s July/August Update!

    Click Here to view the PDF version.

  • Safety Bulletin August 2020

    Mindfulness—an awareness of the moment—can help you in many areas of life. When you’re aware of your experiences on a moment-by-moment basis, you can direct your focus away from negative thoughts like worry and self-doubt and be present in a calmer way. Research has found that mindfulness has helped people manage physical and mental health concerns that range from diabetes to stress to anxiety and depression.

    Mindfulness has a variety of physical and mental health benefits, including helping you sleep better, improving well-being, even helping ease chronic pain.

    Recent studies have suggested that regularly practicing mindfulness meditation creates physical changes to the brain. For example, doctors have long known that as we get older – we experience shrinkage in a specific region of the prefrontal cortex, a part of the brain associated with working memory and certain types of decision-making. That’s why it’s harder to remember certain things as we get older – we have less “gray matter” there.

    According to a study by researchers at Harvard Medical School and published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, after eight weeks of regular mindfulness meditation, 50-year-olds had the same amount of gray matter as 25-year-olds. Research has also found that participants in mindfulness programs showed changes in the amygdala—a part of the brain that affects fear, stress, and anxiety – which correlated with lower stress levels.

    How mindfulness can help you

    The more you practice mindfulness, the more you may gain from it. Experts generally recommend that you start by practicing mindfulness for five minutes per day, gradually working up to 15 to 20 minutes a day. This will give your mind time to “settle” into being fully present in the moment.

    Practicing mindfulness can help:

    • Have more satisfying relationships. Several studies have found the ability to be mindful can predict satisfaction in relationships, perhaps because greater self-awareness helps people communicate thoughts or feelings to others
    • Manage a health condition. Doctors may recommend mindfulness meditation, along with other treatments, for health concerns including diabetes, chronic pain, eating disorders, and some types of heart disease
    • Manage feelings of stress and anxiety. Therapists sometimes use mindfulness in combination with other treatments to help people cope with unwanted thoughts that interfere with work, relationships, or the ability to enjoy life

    For more information, please contact:

    Lesley MacKinnon
    Manager, Safety
    Lesley.Mackinnon@BethanySeniors.com

    Or

    Site OHS Committee Chair or RepresentativeLifeWorks supports employee health and well-being.

    Bethany employees have access to a wide range of resources such as:

    • LifeWorks Blog
    • Webinars and Events
    • 24/7 Specialist Counselling

    Link:
    Bethanycaresociety.lifeworks.com
    username: bcs
    Password: eap
    Phone: 1-877-207-8833
    Phone App: LifeWorks WorkAngel

     

    Other helpful links:

    Alberta Health Services COVID19

    Public Health Agency of Canada

    • Simply take a moment to contemplate and reflect.
    • Pause to consider what you are going to say before speaking. Take a two- or three-ring pause before picking up the phone to think about your intention.
    • Deliberately give your full attention to whatever it is you are doing. When you’re with your family and friends, focus on being fully present with them. When you’re at work, direct your focus and attention there.
    • Try not to dwell in the past or think about the future.
    • Slowly stretch each part of your body. Be aware of your breathing as you stretch
    • If you’re making a cup of tea, just make a cup of tea. If you’re spending time with your child, just be with your child.
  • Financial Wellness Information Sessions

    Financial experts have indicated that speaking to retirement and investment specialists and regularly reviewing investment plans can impact your financial wellness, your financial resiliency and your overall well-being.  Finances and worry about future finances since COVID-19 is a common and real concern for a number of individuals.

    As part of your employment with Bethany Care Society, you are eligible to be a member of the pension plan. There are many advantages to the plan such as receiving an employer contribution and instant tax savings with every pay. Sun Life provides world-class investment choices with fees that are lower than retail to help you reach your financial goals. Bethany employees have access to Financial Advisors through our broker, The Leslie Group, who can help you choose the best plan that fits your long term savings and financial goals.Bethany Care Society has invited a Retirement & Investment Specialist to deliver online Zoom information sessions to help you better understand how the member plan works. In addition, Retirement Readiness sessions will be offered to provide insight to those who may be close to thinking of retirement within the next five to ten years.

    Information shared during these sessions include:MEMBER PLAN INFORMATION SESSIONS

    • How much can you save into the plan?
    • How do the tax savings work?
    • How do you choose your investments?
    • How do global markets affect investments?
    • Where can you find more support?

    RETIREMENT READINESS SESSIONS

    • Am I ready to retire?
    • How do I retire?
    • Retirement Readiness Checklist

    WEBINAR LOG IN INSTRUCTIONS

    You can log into the webinar from any computer with an internet connection.

    Simply go to zoom.us/j/6478240067 and follow the instructions.

    You will be able to see the presenter’s screen and hear their voice.

    If you do not have sound on your computer, you can dial-in to listen while you follow along on the screen: 1-855 703 8985 (toll free)

    You will be asked to enter a meeting ID: 647-824-0067

    Separate sessions and times are being offered to your specific plan type. Retirement Readiness sessions are open to all members. You may invite your spouses or even your parents to the webinars!August 11:
    12:00pm – 1:00pm

    August 24:
    7:00pm – 8:00pm
    August 11:
    7:00pm – 8:00pmAugust 12:
    7:00pm – 8:00pm

    August 24:
    12:00pm – 1:00pmAugust 12:
    12:00pm – 1:00pm

    August 20:
    7:00pm – 8:00pmFor more information, please contact HR Services.

  • 2020 Founders’ Bursary Awards

    Last Week To Apply!

    Do you have children going into post-secondary education?

    Do they display leadership and are involved in the community?

    Then you should apply for Bethany’s 2020 Founders’ Bursary Award!

    Bethany awards two scholarships in the amount of $1,500 each school year to the children of Bethany employees attending post-secondary education. The bursaries recognize excellence in scholastic achievement, outstanding leadership, and a commitment to the community.

    Recipients will be announced in the Fall 2020.

    Apply NOW: the Deadline for applications is July 31, 2020

    Click on the link below for more information and an application form.

    Founders’ Bursary Information Poster

    Founders’ Bursary Application Form

  • 2020 Service Excellence Nominees

    Nominations Announced!
    The following is a compiled list of our 2020 nominees for the Service Excellence Awards Program.

    Finalists for each category will be announced at a later date.Board of Trustee Mission

    Carrie Cooke ─ Social Worker ─ Airdrie

    Jacqueline Chaisson ─ Care Services Manager ─ CollegeSide

    Jemila Abdulkadier ─ Licensed Practical Nurse ─ Riverview

    Marilou Paguibitan ─ Health Care Aide ─ Sylvan Lake

    Nadine Buchart ─ Manager Volunteer Services ─ Corporate

    Peggy Andrews ─ Health Care Aide ─ Didsbury

    Stacey Edmunds ─ Occupational Therapist ─ Calgary

    Steven Friesen ─ ­Director, Quality, Best Practices and Research, Quality Care and Service Development ─ Corporate

    Trudy Gryschuk ─ Chaplain ─ Cochrane/Harvest Hills

     

    Excellence in Family &/or Community Engagement

    Carrie Cooke ─ Social Worker ─ Airdrie

    Cheryl Yaciuk ─ Senior Administrative Assistant ─ Sylvan Lake

    Nicola Devoe ─ Licensed Practical Nurse ─ CollegeSide

     

    Excellence in Health and Safety

    Allison Woods ─ Learning & Development Advisor ─ Calgary

    Ana Julian ─ Physical Therapist ─ Riverview

    Darlene Grasdal ─ Site Manager ─ CollegeSide Gardens

    Fiona Kwong ─ Health Care Aide ─ Calgary

    Frances Buchanan ─ Health Care Aide ─ Harvest Hills

    Hilary Balderston and Rachael Watson ─ Clinical Educator ─ Riverview

    Joanna Boone ─ Rehabilitation Aide ─ CollegeSide

    Lesley MacKinnon ─ Manager Safety ─ Corporate

    Nadine Buchart ─ Manager Volunteer Services

    Paula Buckley ─ Occupational Therapist ─ Calgary

    Pennie Brennan ─ Clinical Educator ─ Didsbury

    Robert Gauthier ─ Maintenance Worker ─ Cochrane

    Sakkara White ─ Health Care Aide ─ Sylvan Lake

    Sandra Hinz ─ Recreation Coordinator ─ Harvest Hills

    Tara Pederson ─ Care Services Manager ─ Riverview

     

    Excellence in Innovation

    Emily Thomson ─ Recreation Therapist ─ Riverview

    Janet Fadugba ─ Care Services Manager ─ Calgary

    Julian Austin ─ Business Solutions Manager ─ Corporate

    Peggy Andrews ─ Health Care Aide ─ Didsbury

    Ruth Allmer ─ Registered Nurse ─ Calgary

    Sriya Arachchilage ─ Registered Nurse ─ Riverview

    Veronica Cook ─ Recreation Therapy Aide ─ Didsbury

    Zahra Garshasbpour ─ Disability and Benefits Coordinator ─ Corporate

     

    Leadership

    Bayou Wolde-Mikael ─ Licensed Practical Nurse ─ Riverview

    Cathy Croeze ─ Licensed Practical Nurse ─ Cochrane

    Chantai Paris ─ Health Care Aide ─ CollegeSide

    Elise Dockstader ─ Social Worker ─ Riverview

    Fiel Ferdinand ─ Care Services Manager ─ Calgary

    Jacqueline Chaisson – Care Services Manager – CollegeSide

    Jibin George ─ Registered Nurse ─ Sylvan Lake

    Jillian Palbom ─ Interim Executive Director Human Resources ─ Corporate

    Joan Smyth ─ Site Manager ─ Didsbury

    Jordanna Haub ─ Licensed Practical Nurse ─ Riverview

    Julian Austin ─ Business Solutions Manager ─ Corporate

    Larina Tremblay ─ Site Administrator ─ CollegeSide

    Lyanne Limbona-Gange ─ Registered Nurse ─ CollegeSide

    Mary Balabas ─ Sr. Administrative Assistant ─ Harvest Hills

    Marzieh Kamali ─ Care Services Manager ─ Calgary

    Melody Gillespie ─ Health Care Aide ─ Sylvan Lake

    Peter Czepuryk ─ Administrator ─ Riverview

    Sharlene Madarang ─ Registered Nurse ─ Riverview

    Sriya Arachchilage ─ Registered Nurse ─ Riverview

    Stephanie Bitango ─ Licensed Practical Nurse ─ Riverview

    Stephanie Schwartz ─ Recreation Therapist ─ Sylvan Lake

    Tara Pederson ─ Care Services Manager ─ Riverview

    Teusdae Johnston ─ Licensed Practical Nurse ─ Didsbury

     

    New Employee Mentor

    Ashley Beazley ─ Health Care Aide ─ Didsbury

    Cherry Ballena ─ Health Care Aide ─ Didsbury

    GP Singh ─ Licensed Practical Nurse ─ Didsbury

    Lisa Beaucage ─ Licensed Practical Nurse ─ Didsbury

    MaryAnne Harder ─ Licensed Practical Nurse ─ Didsbury

    Sriya Arachchilage ─ Registered Nurse ─ Riverview

    Stephanie Schwartz ─ Recreation Therapist ─ Sylvan Lake

     

    Rising Star

    Cassidy Nielsen ─ Recreation Therapist ─ Calgary

    Darren Dressler ─ Chaplain Didsbury/Housing

    Jacqueline Reinholz ─ Occupational Therapy Attendant ─ Riverview

    Jacqueline Shier ─ Volunteer Services Coordinator ─ Cochrane

    Joanne Ysmael ─ Licensed Practical Nurse ─ Didsbury

    Laarni Impang ─ Recreation Therapist ─ Airdrie

    Lynn Curry ─ Clinical Specialist Palliative Care ─ Corporate

    Michelle Orr ─ Licensed Practical Nurse ─ Didsbury

    Monica C. Johnston ─ Labour Relations Manager ─ Corporate

    Randi Sailer ─ Care Services Manager ─ Calgary

    Stephanie Burke ─ Health Care Aide ─ Sylvan Lake

    Tatiana Quiroz ─ Human Resources Assistant ─ Corporate

     

    Service Excellence

    Alicia Alvarez ─ Recreation Therapy Attendant ─ Riverview

    Aliway Cabalbag ─ Registered Nurse ─ CollegeSide

    Andrea Wright ─ Resident Assessment Instrument Assessor ─ Riverview

    Chris Simon ─ Maintenance Worker ─ Calgary

    Daisy Yabut ─ Health Care Aide ─ Sylvan Lake

    Darlene Lovell ─ Health Care Aide ─ Didsbury

    Dayna Plante ─ Registered Nurse ─ CollegeSide

    Eleonor Cabia-an ─ Health Care Aide ─ Riverview

    Elise Dockstader ─ Social Worker ─ Riverview

    Elizabeth Chacko ─ Health Care Aide ─ CollegeSide

    Emily Thomson ─ Recreation Therapist ─ Riverview

    Erika Malabed ─ Registered Nurse ─ Riverview

    Frances Buchanan ─ Health Care Aide ─ Harvest Hills

    Herbert Pagcu ─ Health Care Aide ─ Riverview

    Jacqueline Chaisson ─ Care Services Manager ─ CollegeSide

    Joel Rodeadilla ─ Health Care Aide ─ Riverview

    Johanevie Ruando ─ Licensed Practical Nurse ─ CollegeSide

    Julian Austin ─ Business Solutions Manager ─ Corporate

    Karen Watson ─ Licensed Practical Nurse ─ CollegeSide

    Karin Van Goudoever ─ Care Services Manager ─ Harvest Hills

    Kina Bart ─ Recreation Assistant ─ Riverview

    Krystal-Lynn Laforest ─ Scheduling Clerk ─ Calgary

    Lisa Rattray ─ Health Care Aide ─ Didsbury

    Lorne Stengler ─ Maintenance Worker ─ Calgary

    Luisa Parente ─ Manager Bethany Village

    Lynda Bauer ─ Office Assistant ─ Riverview Village

    Maria Peralta ─ Registered Nurse ─ Riverview

    Marilyn Ironstand ─ Health Care Aide ─ CollegeSide

    Theinmozhi (Tanya) Subramanian ─ Scheduling Clerk ─ Calgary

    Thank you to everyone who nominated a fellow coworker and recognizing their hard work and commitment to creating caring communities at Bethany.

  • Blessing of Hands July 13-17, 2020

    The virtual ‘Blessing of Hands’ initiative for employees will take place this week during July 13-17.

    The Blessing of Hands is:

    • A way to recognize the commitment and service of employees
    • Referred to as a ‘Blessing of Hands’ because we bless others when we use our hands to do our work
    • A symbolic practice/ritual because it is our hands which we use the most in our work
    • A beautiful ritual to help people feel connected – to each other and to their work

    When/Where/How:

    Posters have been distributed with an invitation to: “Celebrate and renew the power of your hands through a Blessing of Hands Ceremony.” All Bethany Heroes are invited to participate.  Each of the chaplains will organize and perform the Blessing of Hands ceremony at the dates and times that work best for each of the sites – please see details at the site you work at.

    Normally, the ceremony would involve pouring water over the hands as a ‘spiritual’ blessing is offered. However, in times of social distancing and hand hygiene protocols, this ceremony will offer the choice of a spritzer of distilled water and essential oils or a spritzer of distilled water infused with crystals that will be sprayed into the palms of the hands. The blessing will be offered as employees are rubbing their hands together. Participation is voluntary.

    Click the link to view a virtual Blessing of the Hands prayer from our chaplain Trudy Gryschuk.

  • Safety Bulletin July 2020

    July 24 is International Self-Care Day—and this provides an opportunity to raise awareness about this topic and the important role it plays in leading a healthy lifestyle.

    Self-care is about making choices that help your physical and mental health, such as eating healthy, getting enough sleep and exercising. The date chosen for International Self-Care Day (24/7) is a reminder that self-care is important to lifelong health, and its benefits are experienced 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

    What is self-care?

    Self-care is any intentional act that takes care of our mental, emotional, and physical health. Although it’s a simple concept in theory, it’s something we often overlook. Good self-care is key to improved mood, reduced anxiety and better relationships with oneself and others.

    What isn’t self-care?

    Self-care is not something that we force ourselves to do, or something we don’t enjoy doing. Self-care should be things we do to recharge our batteries rather than things that drain us. Self-care isn’t selfish, in fact it helps us better take care of others!

    Although self-care means different things to different people, see this basic checklist below that can help you find what it means to you:

    • Create a “no” list, with unhealthy habits, such as too much screen time at night. Eat a nutritious, healthy diet
    • Get enough sleep. Adults usually need 7-8 hours of sleep each night
    • Exercise. In contrast to what many people think, exercise is as good for our emotional health as it is for our physical health. It increases serotonin levels, leading to improved mood and energy. Choose a form of exercise that you like!
    • Follow-up with medical care. It is common to put off checkups or visits to the doctor
    • Use relaxation exercises and/or practice meditation
    • Spend enough time with your loved ones
    • Do at least one relaxing activity every day, whether it’s taking a walk or spending 30 minutes unwinding
    • Do at least one pleasurable activity every day; from going to the cinema, to cooking or meeting with friend – socially distancing of course!
    • Look for opportunities to laugh!

    Finally, remember to add self-care to your mental fitness plan that we explored last month to boost your overall health and wellness.

    For more information, please contact:

    Lesley MacKinnon
    Manager, Safety
    Lesley.Mackinnon@BethanySeniors.com

    Or

    Site OHS Committee Chair or RepresentativeLifeWorks supports employee health and well-being.

    Bethany employees have access to a wide range of resources such as:

    • LifeWorks Blog
    • Webinars and Events
    • 24/7 Specialist Counselling

    Link:
    Bethanycaresociety.lifeworks.com
    username: bcs
    Password: eap
    Phone: 1-877-207-8833
    Phone App: LifeWorks WorkAngel

     

    Other helpful links:

    Alberta Health Services COVID19

    Public Health Agency of Canada